Searching for a lost 15 CV Traction — PP-37-98

Roel Wagenaar, one of our Citroënvie members from the Netherlands, contacted us with the following request:

My grandfather bought a Citroën Traction Avant 15 CV in 1954. This car had the registration number PP-37-98 in the Netherlands. The chassis number: 54.05.005. The car was exported from the Netherlands to America about 35 years ago.

Do you know who may be in possession of the car?

Below you will find three photos of it from 1954, ’55 and ’56.

I would like to get in touch with the current owner. We still have a lot of film and photo material of the car.

I also have a Traction Avant 15 CV.

You can also will find a movie from 1954 of my grandparents on holiday in this car in the south of France and Switzerland: https://youtu.be/qIIy_hZ7vtc

I would love to hear from you. Thanks in advance for the effort.

Greetings,

Roel Wagenaar

If anyone can respond with “bingo!” we would be happy to put you in touch with Roel. Let us know: https://citroenvie.com/contact/

UPDATE – Oct. 15, 2023:

This car has appeared for sale on ebay on Oct. 10, 2023, missing its engine and gearbox and located in Center Hill, Florida:

ebay ad text:

1954 Citroen Traction Avant Type 15-6
https://www.ebay.com/itm/305186454417?_trksid=p2471758.m4704
Auction ends in Tuesday, October 17 at 09:00 PM
Location: Center Hill, Florida, United States

VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
5405005

Item description from the seller
This 1954 Citroen Type 15-6 has no engine or transmission, otherwise complete.  I have owned it since 1986, I imported it from the Netherlands to the port of Jacksonville, Fl.  Shortly after, it’s engine had a non-repairable failure, and I elected to sell the engine & trans to a citroen club member who needed a trans for his 15-6.  My thought was to repower it in the future, and so it went into my barn as I worked on other projects. Now after almost 40 years  in there,  it’s obvious I’m never going to get to it, so it’s to be sold.  I washed and vacuumed it, there it is.  And for those citroenistas’ who know these, no, it was not a 15-6 hydraulic, so no need to ask!
Citroen had several plants in Europe at the time, I believe this was built in France, but I am not certain.

  Sometime during it’s storage something fell on it, I can’t recall exactly what, and it was damaged.  Note the dent on the roof near the drivers door, the damaged headlight housing and fender, various scratches.  I regard these as minor and easily repaired.  There is a bit of rust damage on the car – the right front bumper mounting post has some rust-through, as does the lower edge of the fender nearby.  On the pan underneath, there is a rust-through of a welded angle in one spot, the angle used (apparently) as a front-to-rear conduit for service.  I have not found any rust-through of the pan itself.

 The brake pedal is hard and not moving, perhaps a seized master cylinder?  The dash controls were removed at one time, and then re-installed, I believe it’s all there.  Right rear exterior door handle is broken.

 Also included is the original radiator, the shifter operating arms, the headlight bulb and reflector assembly that survived the damage to its housing,  and misc bits and pieces.  Up front, the original u-joints and half shafts are still there.  It rolls easily,  should load on a trailer without issue.    The headlights have their original yellow fog bulbs in them.  Those unusual front window vent wings are an accessory I’ve not seen before, they are Fannier, apparently.  All the glass is intact and unbroken.

My plan for it was to make a euro-street rod of it, with a modest roof chop and some sort of exotic driveline;  but it’s not to be, too much time has passed.  Many possibilities for the next owner, this is one unusual and special vehicle!

 It’s mileage (KM) on the speedo reads106448, or a bit over 60,000 miles,  but who knows?

 This is a no-reserve auction, so you’re bidding against other potential buyers, and not wondering about some reserve hurdle.

     THIS CAR WILL BE SOLD, so don’t expect or hope to get a second chance at it sometime in the future!

  Questions?   Please email via “contact seller”, I will respond promptly.

Clean Florida title, it’s located between Orlando and Ocala.

UPDATE – Dec. 15, 2024:

Roel sent us an update of the restoration progress of the Traction. He says that it is proceeding well. He has stripped it down to parts for the overhaul. There is a lot to be welded on the car — the floors and the sills are rotten. He has found someone who can do that work.

The Traction Club in the Netherlands has written an article about shipping it back home to the Netherlands. It’s in Dutch and you can read it here: https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D1866000_192_301916585.